Combination chair



A ril 10, 1934. w. A. THOMAQ 1,954,604

COMBINATI ON CHAIR Filed Oct. 17, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jk/avr /t April 10, 1934. w, MA 1,954,604

- COMBINATION CHAIR Filed Oct. 17, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 J/v/ /V 7 0 12 54:) 17- Faye;

April 10, 1934. w. A. THOMAS COMBINATION CHAIR Filed Oct. 17, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 10, 1934. w, THOMAS 1,954,604

COMBINATION CHAIR Filed Oct. 17 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 COMBINATION CHAIR 7 Claims.

This invention relates to certain improvements in chairs whereby a childs straight chair and childs rocking chair are so constructed that they may be detachably assembled to form a high chair. y

The objects of the invention are to provide a construction of rocking chair and of a straight chair such that these two may be assembled into a high chair;

To provide means for securing the straight and rocking chair together when assembled as a high chair;

To provide means for preventing the high chair from being moved backward away from a table in connection with which it is used;

To provide a tray for the high chair which may be folded into inactive position when a portion of the high chair is used as a straight chair; and

Generally to improve the design and construction of such a chair.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will readily be understood from the following specification on reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhichz Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a straight and a rocking chair assembled as a high chair and secured together; V

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation showing seating of a straight chair leg on arocking chair rocker;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail showing the detachable tray arm hinge;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional plan as on the line IVIV of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the complete chair assembly; 7 v

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional side elevation 40 showing the manner in which the chair parts are assembled in forming the high chair;

Fig. '7 is a similar sectional elevation showing the dis-assembled lower part of the chair in use as a rocking chair; v

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section taken on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. '7; and

Figs. 9 and 10 are front elevations respectively of the rocking and straight chairs used in making the high chair assembly.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, the high chair comprises two separable portions A, B, the upper of which portions A is adapted to function, when disassembled, as a straight chair and the 55 lower of which portions B is adapted to function as a rocking chair. The upper portion A which is the straight chair in toto, comprises straight chair front legs 10, rear legs 11, a seat 12, side rungs 13, cross rungs 14 and 15, arms 16, and a back 17. Hingedly secured to the straight Q chair back 17 as by hinges 18 adjacent opposite sides, is a high chair tray 19 which may be swung upward and backward over the top of the back 17 to the dotted position 19A, when not in use. Preferably each hinge comprises a plate secured to the side of a tray arm 193. The plate has a hole 18A therethrough which is large enough to pass over the head 17A of a pin 17B projecting laterally from the chair back 17. Extending upward from the hole 18A is a closed end slot 183 which slides over the shank of the pin. This structure permits the turning movement just mentioned and also allows disengagement and removal of the tray by raising the tray arms and springing them laterally outward to disengage the hinge plates from the pins. Preferably the tray is provided with loops 20, of leather or other suitable material, which loops are engaged over the ends of the arms 16 to hold the tray down when in use, in such position the tray resting on and being supported on these arms. Lugs 10A are provided projecting from the front of the legs 10 near the lower ends thereof which are usable in accomplishing the assembly.

The seat 12 also includes a suitable cushion or cover 12A which may be hinged as by hinges 12B. 120 is a toilet opening in the seat, which is provided with a ledge 12D on which an edge cushion 12E is supported. This cushion may be a section of rubber hose cut to proper length and coiled around the inside of the seat opening.

As a base to support the straight chair and form therewith a high chair, I form a complete rocking chair comprising front legs 21, rear legs 22, a seat 23 which preferably is cushioned or padded, rockers 24, arms 25, cross rungs 26, 27, and a back 28 preferably horizontally slatted. The rocking chair back 28 is connected to the rocking chair seat 23 by hinges 29 disposed at opposite sides, and may be folded forward about 100 such hinges, flat against the upper portion of the seat, and when so folded occupying a position relative thereto which is shown in Fig. 1.

The rocking chair arms 25 are extended rearwardly behind the legs 22 and have secured to 105 their rear ends a transverse member 30 which forms a step or foot rest for the high chair or a support for the back of the rocking chair. Opposite ends of this member are notched to provide shoulders 30A (Fig. 4) against which the 119 front sides of the legs 10 of the straight chair abut in forming the high chair. This member is supported by a pair of brace members 31 which are secured to the top and back ends of the rocking chair arms 25. 32 is a spring latch secured to the side of one of the arms 25 to hold the back of the rocking chair against the member 30.

Forming the outer sides of the rocking chair arms 25 are ornamental moldings 33 which preferably are integral with the arms and which terminate rearwardly, substantially flush with the backs of the rocking chair legs 22. The ends 34 of these moldings furnish footings for the straight chair legs when the two chairs are assembled into a high chair. Moldings 35 are secured to the outer sides of the rockers, the rear ends 36 of these moldings serving in the high chair assembly as a support for the rear legs of the straight chair. Buttons 24A, 25A may be secured in the front ends of the rockers and arms respectively, to serve as feet when the rocking chair is turned over to form the base for the high chair.

37 is a safety post which is adapted to be used with the high chair to prevent the chair being pushed away from a table which has 2. depending rail adjacent the edge thereof. In Fig. 1, I have indicated in dotted lines a fragmentary portion of such a table top 38 and table rail 39 together with their relation to the chair and the safety post. This post is slidably mounted in a hinged loop 40 which is secured to the forward edge of the seat 12 as by eyes 41 (Fig. 5). Stops 42, 42A, preferably eyes limit the sliding movement of this post and prevent its removal from the loop 40. The back end of the step or member 30 is provided with a centrally located notch or socket 43 (Fig. 6) which is completed by the forward edge of the cross rung 14 to receive the shouldered lower end 44 of the post 37.

When not in use as an anchor the post 37 may be unstepped from this socket and moved rearwardly and downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 6, the rear or lower end being engaged with a pin 45 to support it in such position, the post being suitably apertured to receive the pin. Hingedly secured to the cross rung 15, as by an eye 46, is a latch 47 which may be engaged with the stop 42A to hold the post in such position.

Secured in and projecting from the back rung 27 of the rocking chair is an eye 46 which optionally may be engaged instead of the stop 42A by the latch 47, to detachably secure the straight and rocking chair together in forming the high chair.

In using the device the upper portion of the assembly A may be used as a childs straight chair either with the tray 19 in place with it turned back out of the way, or entirely detached, as may be desired. The lower portion B of the assembly may be used as a childs rocking chair, or the two parts may be assembled and secured together to form a high chair. In the latter case the back 28 of the rocking chair may if desired be unlatched and turned down against the seat.

To assemble into a high chair, the rocking chair is turned over, with the buttons 24A, 25A on the forward ends of the rockers and arms serving respectively as feet and with the rockers and. arms extending upward therefrom. The bottoms of the high chair legs 10 are rested on the back legs 22 of the rocking chair, which legs (Fig. 6) are then in approximately horizontal position, with the straight chair tilted forward with the lugs 10A disposed beneath the outer ends of the step or member 30. The back end of the straight chair is then rotated downwardly with the rung l5 engaging and following along the inner side of the rockers 24, which movement continues until the bottom ends of the back legs 11 of the straight chair rest on the seats 36. During this movement the bottom ends of the front legs 10 of the straight chair slide forward along the back legs 22 of the rocking chair until they rest on the seats 34, on the rocking chair arms, with the front sides of the straight chair legs 10 against the shoulders 30A of the step 30 and with the front of the rung 14 against the back of such step. When so seated the latch 37 may be disengaged from the eye 42 and engaged with the eye 46 to secure the straight chair and the rocking chair together into the high chair assembly.

In such position the high chair is held against forward movement by engagement of the front straight chair legs with the shoulders 30A, and against rearward movement by engagement of the rung 15 with the inner side of the rockers. Lateral movement is prevented by engagement of the inner sides of the legs 10 with the outer sides of the arms 25 and by engagement of the inner sides of the legs 11 with the outer sides of the rockers 24. Preferably also the length of the rockers 24 is made such that the ends of these rockers contact with the underside of the back of the seat 12 at the same time that the lower end of the legs 11 rest on the seats 36.

The tray 19 may be turned forward and the loops 20 engaged beneath the front end of the arm 16 to hold the tray against upward displacement.

When the chair is moved up to a table, in connection with which it may be used in usual manner, the safety post 3'? may be disengaged from the pin 45 and be slid forwardly and. upwardly to engage under the top of the table and inside of the rim or rail of the table and the bottom end of the post be stepped in the notch 43 to hold it rigidly in such position, whereby the chair may not be pushed backward from the table or overturned. Should the table not be such that this may be accomplished, the safety leg would in any event function to prevent a child seated in the chair from slipping outward therefrom beneath the tray.

It will of course be understood that various modifications may be made in the details of construction here shown without departing from the spirit and intent of this invention and that I do not intend to limit myself to such detail except where the same may be specifically included in a claim.

Having described my invention, what I claim 1. A high chair comprising a straight chair having four upright legs, and a rocking chair, having arms and rockers, the rocking chair arms and rockers being adapted to be aligned with and form the lower portion of the front and rear legs of said high chair, said rocking chair arms and rockers having each a rearwardly facing shoulder formed thereon to serve as seats to receive and support the bottoms of said straight chair legs when aligned with the rockers, and arms, and means for detachably securing said straight and rocking chair together in high chair formation.

2. A high chair comprising a straight chair having four upright legs, and a seat; and a comchairs together to form said high chair.

3. A high chair comprising a straight chair having four upright legs, and aseat; and a complementary chair having arms and rockers, the rocking chair arms and rockers being adapted to be aligned respectively with the front and rear legs of said straight chair and to support said legs, forming therewith the legs of said high chair when said chairs are assembled in high chair formation, and means for securing said chairs together in such formation.

4. A high chair comprising a straight chair having four upright legs, and a complementary rocking chair, the rocking chair arms and rockers being adapted to be aligned with and form the lower portion of the front and rear legs of said high chair, said rocking chair arms and rockers having each on its outer face a rearwardly facing shoulder formed thereon to serve as seats to receive and support the bottoms of said straight chair legs, a transverse member connecting the rear ends of said rocking chair arms and extended to engage the forward sides of said straight chair legs, a transverse rung connecting the rear pair of said straight chair legs and engaging the concave sides of said rockers to hold said forward legs against said member and a latch holding said straight chair legs in seated position against said seats.

5. In a high chair having a seat, a loop hingedly secured to the forward edge of said seat, said loop being in substantial alignment with the lateral center line of said chair, a safety post disposed in said loop, a cross rung, a pin projesting upward from said rung, said post having a socket complementary thereto, an eye secured in said post adjacent but above said socket and a latch hinged to said rung, adapted to cooperate with said eye, said post being slidably mounted in said loop whereby it may be moved rearwardly and downwardly into inoperative position, engaged with said pin and secured by said latch.

6. In a high chair having a seat, side arms, a step, a cross rung adjacent said step said step and rung being provided with means forming a socket and a cross rung spaced rearwardly therefrom; a loop hingedly secured to the forward edge of said seat, said socket and loop being in substantial alignment with the lateral center line of said chair, a safety post disposed in said loop, said post having a lower end complementary to and removably seated in said socket, said post extending above said seat, and adjacent the level of said arms, said post being slidably mounted in said loop whereby it may be moved upward to disengage it from said socket and be slid rearwardly and downwardly into inoperative position, and be supported by said rear rung.

7. In a high chair having a seat, and a step, said step having a socket formed therein; a loop hingedly secured to the forward edge of said seat, and positioned forwardly of said socket, said socket and loop being in substantial alignment with the lateral center line of said chair, a safety post of greater length than the distance between said loop and socket, disposed in said loop, said post having a lower end complementary to and removably seated in said socket, whereby said post will extend above said seat and incline forwardly, said post being slidably mounted in said loop whereby it may be moved upward to disengage it from said socket and be slid rearwardly and downwardly into inoperative position.

WESLEY A. THOMAS. 

